If there is a single word that captures the mood and intent of the oil-producing countries that hug the Arabia Gulf, surely it is connectivity.
By air, by rail, by sea and by legislation, the countries of the Gulf are shaping an economic future that binds them in a philosophy of ‘better together’.
Aware that the sun is slowly setting on demand for oil, its long-term future threatened by renewable energies, Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries are watching the dawn of a new era of economic opulence, an era driven by a sharper focus on tourism.
The transition from oil promises to be tourism’s Age of Arabia spreading beyond the big-ticket infrastructure items arising in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai – mega yacht marinas, new airlines and airports, luxury hotels and private island resorts – to embrace a strategy built on diversification and partnership.
The strategy is contagious. Lesser-known destinations such as Ras al Khaimah and Sharjah, both in the United Arab Emirates, are among the destinations dipping a finger into the tourism pie.
Phillipa Harrison, formerly managing director of Tourism Australia, and now chief executive of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, says the emirate is “on the cusp of a tourism revolution”.
Along with massive infrastructure, less attention-grabbing government initiatives and private-public partnerships are shaping the way Gulf countries are being perceived by travellers.
Legislative reforms, too, are being enacted to improve governance across tourism entities, and encourage Saudi nationals, to be trained in hospitality, tour operations and event management.
The goal is to generate 1.6 million tourism-related jobs by 2030 and ensure service standards are world-class ahead of upcoming mega events, Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
For the travel trade, the message is clear: Forget the old cliches about the Gulf region – conservative and controlled – and focus on the elements coming to the fore: accessibility and approachability.
Key developments across the Gulf
Red Sea Global on Saudi Arabia’s west coast offers diverse experiences from overwater villas to mountain retreats, all part of a massive regenerative tourism development opening in phases through 2030 with 50 resorts planned.
Developed by Foster + Partners, phase one of Shura Island has seen the debut of Red Sea Edition, and InterContinental Red Sea Resort, along with Shura Links. Saudi Arabia’s first 18-hole island golf course.
Other properties due to open include hotels by Four Seasons, Jumeirah, Raffles and Rosewood.
Access is being improved. The Shura Bridge connects to the mainland, while the Red Sea International Airport hosts flights from Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and Jeddah.
A two-hour drive north of Red Sea Global, Amaala is being promoted as a new global wellness leader, with a collection of resorts due to open later this year. These include Four Seasons, Rosewood, Ritz-Carlton and the second global location for US-brand Equinox.
Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City – touted as a global capital of sport, entertainment and culture – includes a Jack Nicklaus golf course, an Aquarabia waterpark, a purpose-built Formula One race circuit, and a planned Dragon Ball theme park, the first of its kind worldwide
The future of NEOM, the kingdom’s 170km-long futuristic desert city, which will include mountaintop resorts and tourism islands, is less clear as the government seeks to rein in expenditure on some of its mega-projects.
New destinations
Sharjah’s eco-luxury retreat, Nomad, has opened in Kalba, an off-grid destination which is part of the Sharjah Collection, a portfolio of low-impact destinations set across natural and heritage sites, from luxury tents in the mangroves to desert domes under the stars.
Nomad is designed around the principles of ‘slow travel’, with no WiFi and a nightly lights-off policy that encourages guests to disconnect and enjoy the night sky.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is set to open in 2027, making Ras Al Khaimah the first licensed gaming destination in the emirates.
Better connections
A “one-stop” Schengen-style travel system will allow citizens of the six GCC countries to complete all travel requirements – including immigration, security checks and customs – at a single checkpoint when travelling around the bloc. A trial will operate for air travel between the UAE and Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia's new airline Riyadh Air hopes to launch commercial flights this year once it takes delivery of new aircraft. The carrier is promising the world’s most luxurious commercial flying experience.
A massive railway project will link the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council with a 2,117km railway. The rail line, due to open in December 2030, will link Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Separately, the UAE will launch a passenger train service later this year. Spanning 900km, the service will connect 11 cities across the seven emirates that make up the UAE.